Contingency Plan
by Auster Nab
Summary: It was a shinobi's duty to die the right way, to prove that he was worth a dam. It was the younger generation to protect how the older one died and their memory, a never ending cycle, one to surpass another. That's why this war was an unspeakable horror, one Tsunade couldn't bear to watch unravel. She would protect the way Naruto died even at the cost of her own life.
1. prolouge

Contingency Plan

It was the hell that was Hozukijo, or so Naruto thought. It was a place with many names that would terrify even the most seasoned of shinobi: the demon's castle, the shinobi graveyard, shimigami's temple, but the best name was the blood prison and it was under fire.

Within its walls, for all different reasons, were the most monstrous shinobi and hidden weapons and among the guards and prisoners was Naruto Uzumaki, who was struggling for his life.

Naruto glared wildly at the red, chain like seal on his torso. A horrific fuinjustu, Fire Release: Heavenly Prison was only meant to keep prisoners in line, any chakra usage and the shinobi would burst into flames.

XXX

Ryuuzetsu was still having trouble with the stupid jutsu and it didn't help that Muku was laughing at her. The embarrassment would have been enough, but the fact that Muku was a genius who got it on his first try irked her to no end.

And the worse, the absolute worse part was that he knew that it irked her, but it just made him laugh harder. A quick glance at her befallen expression Muku stopped his laughing, though he still wore a small grin, "Awe come Ryuuzetsu, you're so close, maybe it's your chakra input that's the problem…"

"THE PROBLEM IS I'M NOT A GENIUS!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, "I can't… I'm not as good as you." She quickly turned away so Muku couldn't see her blush.

Muku rolled his eyes, "Well duh." Ryuuzetsu turned on him with fury in her eyes, "Wa-Wait, what I'm trying to say is that you're Ryuuzetsu, the girl with the killer clan techniques and the silver hair. Genius is the wrong word to describe me and…" He held his hands up before Ryuuzetsu could interrupt, "And it's just one technique, I'm not a genius, I'm… just me," He smiled softly at her.

Now it was Ryuuzetsu to roll her eyes, "Hum, whatever _just_ Muku, show me how to do the dam jutsu already," Muku raised an eyebrow, "ugh, _please_ show me the jutsu?" She added. Muku shrugged, a goofy grin on his face, "Sure…"

The next few hours went be incredibly quick for Ryuuzetsu, with Muku only making minimal corrections; her stance was off and her chakra flow was a little shaky, but she had nailed the jutsu down flat. "Again," Muku said with a stern look gracing his face, not unlike his father Mui, "One more time, Ryuuzetsu."

"Slave driver," Ryuuzetsu mumbled under her breath, "Fine." She stood up, getting in the stance Muku had shown her and gathering her chakra together in the tora seal, she yelled, "Katon: Onidoro!"

Fire sprung from the ground, levitating into the air between Ryuuzetsu and Muku. As the fire continue to float, Muku tensed, "Wait… Now Ryuuzetsu!" he commanded.

"Right," Ryuuzetsu surged her chakra, "KATON: ONIDORO!" She shouted. The floating fire picked up speed and began to change, taking on a ghostly expression. These newly formed demon lanterns charged forward, quickly gaining velocity. Taking flight, the fireballs whizzed around forming miniature comets in the field.

Ryuuzetsu sweated in the hot summer sun while holding the jutsu longer than ever, until finally, "Kai!" The demon lanterns exploded in the sky, leaving a giant plume of smoke.

Ryuuzetsu and Muku looked up in surprise and awe, but it was Ryuuzetsu who broke the short lived silence, "Hell Yeah! Muku did you see that, now who's awesome," she danced around, enjoying her victory and Muku just laughed...

Ryuuzetsu and Muku sat alone at their training ground enjoying the sunset. She couldn't be happier, she now had Onidoro, the technique that was the pride of the country of Kusagakure and its once great hidden village, and now her's and Muku's…...

Ryuuzetsu sat silently, her anbu armor, scratched and dirty, was clamped to her skin. She had her mission, destroy the Box of Eternal Bliss, and she'd complete it even at the cost of her own life. But when she had found the cave that held the box, what she saw stopped her.

Mui, Muku's father was there, along with others she didn't recognize, but what stopped her in her tracks was Muku himself, bound and gagged. "Now, Mui," one of the cloaked figures commanded, "Do it, for the rebirth of our village," another hissed. Mui looked down at his son with an expressionless face.

Wordlessly, Mui gathered his chakra, "Open," he all but whispered. The black, dusty box ripped open, a blank inky substance leaking from its many stone faces quickly struck Muku. Muku screamed in agony, "Father, Please!" Mui face was blank as the box continued to eat away at his only son.

The Box opened further and the black chakra dragged and pulled the kicking and screaming remains of Muku and his chakra deeper into its gut. With a whirlwind of purple and black chakra, Muku was sucked into the box and with a tight snap, the box was sealed once again.

The room was utter silence, Mui just stood there looking at the box in front of him. Ryuuzetsu shook from her shock, tears silently falling from her face. The cloaked figures were in an outrage, "The dam thing didn't open!"

"Even with all that chakra, it still wasn't enough for the box."

"It should have, mabe if it..."

"Enough!" Mui, for the first time raised his voice. It quieted the arguing figures. "The box has shown that it requires a vast amount of chakra to even budge," he brushed himself off and started to past the others. "Mui! Where are you going?" Mui stopped and looked to the corner, right where Ryuuzetsu was hiding. She tensed, Mui wasn't a fool but she wasn't either, they both knew he saw her.

Ryuuzetsu locked eyes with him and for a brief moment a look of sadness graced Mui's face, but was gone as quickly as it had come. Turning back to the figures, who where obliviously huddled together mumbling something, Mui called out to them, "Fear not elders, if the box requires a vast chakra, then we will get such a chakra."

Mui once again turned to leave, "But how Mui?" They called back. Mui continued to walk and without looking back he whispered darkly, "By any means necessary."


	2. Chapter 1- trouble brewing

XXX

Here in the hell that was Hozukijo, a place with many names that would terrify even the most seasoned of shinobi: the demon's castle, the shinobi graveyard, shimigami's temple, but the best name was the blood prison. Naruto sat quietly, secluded in a miniature stone wall cell, the only light source was small window. The punishment room was where he sat, silent, still, secluded, contemplating his situation, the flow of nature chakra helping to clear his mind. He was framed, that much he knew, however, it was the why that he wanted to know.

'The warden, Mui and his chakra seals definitely had it in for me. Lucky Sage Mode requires chakra from the outside and not the inside of the body huh, hehe' Naruto chuckled lightly, so he had that to fall back on.

Life here wasn't all bad, the other prisoners were okay, none of them had any issues with him and the cafeteria even had ramen. OH! He had even made a new friend, Ryuuzetsu, an ex anbu from what used to be the Hidden Grass Village. She was an odd one, it seemed; she had it in for Mui the same way Mui had it in for him, which could be dangerous.

She approached him and asked for his help, what was he supposed to do, he was Naruto dam it! If he thought she needed his help, then he would provide. Still, her anger toward the warden troubled him. He was slow to ask but she had sensed his premonitions and assured him that it would be alright, he wasn't so sure but he let it pass, he had other things on his mind.

Naruto continued to meditate deeper and deeper until there was a knock on his cell. "Uzumaki, come with me please." The guard at the door commanded.

Naruto stood to leave when the guard rushed him, delivering a quick blow to back of the neck, knocking the young Uzumaki unconscious…

XXX

The Warden walked through the cafeteria of his prison casually, unafraid of the roaming prisoners. The prisoners, not wanting to stir up more trouble gave him a wide berth, keeping their heads in their soup. Ryuuzetsu sat among them, glaring at Mui, unafraid of his wraith. The male prisoners at her table could see her killing intent in her expression. Mui either didn't notice or didn't care as he continued his walk. He got about half way out the door when there was a flash of charka and two prison guards appeared before him.

Both the guards quickly bowed in respect.

"Sir ," the one guard addressed Mui, still in a bow, "It was done exactly to your instruction."

Mui nodded once, "Good, leave him there and I'll see to him at once."

The guards nodded in return and in another flash of charka they disappeared.

Mui sent one last grimace at the other prisoners, who immediately stiffened, before he briskly walked out of the room.

The tension in the room visibly lightened as every prisoner in the room sighed audibly. A man leaned in close to Ryuuzetsu, "Man, I wouldn't want to be the guy that pissed him off, ya know," Ryuuzetsu only nodded. The man looked around, "Hey where's that blonde kid, he was funny."

Ryuuzetsu stiffened and looked up to where Mui recently stood, "Naruto?" She jumped up running up in the direction of Mui. "Naruto, please be alright," she silently prayed as she sped off in the direction she thought Mui had taken, leaving behind a slightly confused prisoner.

XXX

Naruto shook uncontrollably on the icy table. He was strapped down, unable to break free because of the godly seal his tormentors had placed on him. Even against all his might the seal repressed his strength, leaving him helpless. Naruto glared wildly at the red, chain like seal on his torso. A horrific fuinjustu, Katon: Gouka Tenrou was only meant to keep prisoners in line, any chakra usage and the shinobi would burst into flames.

"Silence, jinchuuriki, this is a very delicate process." A man whispered into Naruto's ear. Mui, the head of the prison, and a man Naruto was beginning to hate, looked down at him with cold eyes.

"Ba-bastard," Naruto could barely make out his threat, it hurt too dam much. Mui remained emotionless, "I will not tell you again, jinchuuriki, extracting your… vast chakra is extremely delicate and the box can only handle so much at time." Before Naruto could even breath next, Mui activated the box.

The Box of Eternal Bliss, one of the Sage of Six Path's many weapons of legend. It was a huge, black cube with neutral faces made from stone on all its sides and gave off a dark humming sound. It's said that the box contains enlightenment and has the ability to grant any wish, and was feared throughout the world. It was this box that Mui and his predecessors would use to resurrect the Village Hidden in the Grass. All it need was a little food…

Naruto groaned. He felt only pain, all his chakra: physical, demonic, or natural, was being ripped from his body, and the seal making him feel as if he was on fire, however, it was the warden that kept him from bursting in to flames. Naruto chuckled none the less, 'I guessed I've had Mui to thank for that.'

His eyes constantly flickered between his natural blue, Kyuubi's red, and the toad sage's amber. His chakra forming an ugly purple above him and he watched as the box ate it. The cryptic stone faces on all of the box's sides cracked and broke part way, only to have their faces brake into ghastly smiles or snares as they ate up his chakra.

Naruto screamed one last time as the goutiness box took one last bite of his dark chakra. The underground laboratory shook violent as the box cracked and slowly started to rise to the surface.

Naruto struggled to get the straps off, "AHHHHHH" he screamed as his rage boiled over. Chakra quick to return and with the fire seal deactivated at the moment, Naruto made quick work of his bonds and tried to make his way out through the stairs, however, Mui was faster. Gracefully leaping over Naruto, Mui landed on the flight above him. With impressive speed Mui charged forward, ducking under Naruto's weak attack. Naruto was too weak he knew, 'Dammit, dodge, dodge.' He silently thought to himself. Mui, at an even quicker pace, continued to charge forward. "You will not escape my prison." He said, his fist surging forward around Naruto's withered defense, landing incredibly strong punch to the gut. "No escape, Katon: Gouka Tenrou," he whispered. Red chains spiraled from his hand and onto Naruto abdomen. "No not again!" Naruto yelled in pain.

Naruto collapsed onto his knees, but before he could fall on his face, Mui caught him. Leaning close to his ear, Mui whispered, "Jinchuuriki tell me… Have you ever had to kill an innocent person for the sake of your village? Has your village ever demanded a life, to strengthen its own?" Mui asked Naruto a hint of pain in his voice. Naruto glared at the warden, "Don't make me laugh," he whispered back. Mui, for the first time, allowed a small smile to grace his face, "I agree."

Mui once again struck Naruto in the gut and let the blonde boy to fall to the ground. Mui stood and was about to continue up the stairs when Naruto wheezed, "I-I know…Ryuuzetsu told me…" he coughed, "everything, about… Muku… you sacrificed your own son…" Naruto was gaining his footing again while Mui stood there listening, his back to Naruto, "a son looks… to his father… I"

"If you know all that," Mui interrupted, "then you know why all this is necessary." And with that he leapt up the stairs to the surface.

XXX

The entire prison never stopped shacking, the walls and the ceiling crumbling. There in the center of the courtyard the earth cracked and splintered, and in the epicenter the Box of Eternal Bliss, slowly rose. The prisoners, all shinobi who had committed crimes against one village or another, stared in shock at the monstrous box. Four Figures all dressed in royal garb, with their faces hidden behind lavished face masks stood between the box and the prisoners.

"Hey, Hey, where's Mui, as the box's guardian he should be here!" A short fat man in an ugly cow mask demanded. "Here he comes," called one of the man's companions, a tall, lanky woman in an equally ugly bird mask, "We were worried you got cold feet Mui." Mui walked past her as if she weren't there, past all the prisoners, who gave him a wide berth, and straight to the box. "DO it Mui! Return the Grass Village to its former glory!" The Four shook with anticipation.

"Box of Bliss," Mui commanded, "Grant me my wish… GIVE ME BACK MY SON!"

"WHAT!" The masked figures lunged forward, poised to strike but it was too late. The box roared and contorted, its ancient hinges moaning in protest as its mighty doors opened after so long.

In an instant all the stones fell from the box exposing the endless black pit that was the door. Out of the pit all the malice the box had acuminated over the years sprung to life. Black aura surrounded the prison, covering it in an ark of darkness.


End file.
